Key Summary
- TV personality Natalie Cassidy shared her personal story.
- A Novo Nordisk survey shows 82 percent of people trying to lose weight experience negative emotions when there is little progress.
- Despite these challenges, 87 percent say 'small wins' – such as improvements in energy, mood, or fitness-help them sustain or restart their efforts.
Novo Nordisk recently organized a “Meet Me in the Middle Maze”, a two-day immersive installation to highlight the physical and emotional realities of managing obesity over time.
It explored times when progress slows, motivation drops, and setbacks happen, alongside the gains that help people move forward.
The maze was set up at on London’s South Bank on 8-9 July, and visitors navigated different zones before reaching the centre to access support resources and listen to TV personality Natalie Cassidy share her personal story on an episode of Novo Nordisk’s ‘The Moment You Realise’ podcast.
Currently, around 30 percent of adults in the UK are living with obesity.
Weight loss challenges
A survey from Novo Nordisk of adults in the UK living with obesity found that when weight-loss progress stalls it can take a significant emotional toll and staying on course remains a major challenge.
In the survey of 2,015 adults, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) said they had experienced periods where their weight did not change.
Among those, more than four in five (82 percent) reported that these moments triggered negative emotions, while 62 percent went through these experiences alone without seeking professional support.
At the same time, the data highlights that stalled weight loss does not mean that overall progress has stopped.
Two-thirds (67 percent) of respondents noted they still see improvements in areas such as energy, mood, or fitness, even when the number on the scale stays the same.
Furthermore, 87 percent say these "small wins" help them keep going or restart their efforts.
However, staying on track remains a challenge. Many respondents admitted they do not always recognise these gains as real progress, making it harder to stay motivated.
Nearly four in 10 (38 percent) reduce or stop their efforts altogether when weight loss stalls.
Additionally, more than half (52 percent) have restarted their weight management journey at least four times, and almost a third (29 percent) have lost count entirely.
Sebnem Avsar Tuna, General Manager at Novo Nordisk UK, said: “Obesity is a chronic and complex disease, and managing it is rarely a straightforward or linear process. This research shows that when progress slows, many people still experience meaningful gains in how they feel day to day – from energy and mood to fitness and confidence. Recognising these changes can play an important role in helping people stay engaged with their journey and seek appropriate support.”
